title: Effects of comprehensive intervention on health-related quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis B in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant global health problem, especially in China. Chronic liver disease affects health related quality of life (HRQOL). The intervention method to improve HRQOL in patients with hepatitis B has been one-dimensional with inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of comprehensive intervention on health-related quality of life and provide guidance on improving HRQOL for patients with chronic hepatitis B.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with chronic hepatitis B eligible for our study were randomly selected in three model regions of Jiangsu Province in June 2010. 272 patients were invited and 254 took part, with a refusal rate of 6.62%. Comprehensive intervention included government support, technical guidance from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, standardised medical care, and community involvement. HRQOL before and 1 year after intervention was measured with the Short Form 36 and HBV-specific health surveys. Chi-square test, t-test and multiple linear regressive analyses were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After comprehensive intervention, the HRQOL in patients with chronic hepatitis B showed significantly improvements in bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, and mental, as well as physical and mental component score (p < 0.05). Family and social support increased, and financial concerns decreased (p < 0.05). Marital status, duration of illness-related absence from work, education level, family financial status, and health insurance type were important factors affecting HRQOL change between the baseline and final assessment in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The comprehensive intervention was effective in improving the HRQOL of patients with chronic hepatitis B.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ChiCTR-OCH-12001882.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. liupeiseu@126.com.
authors.forename: Jianqian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liguo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult